On a bitter, rain-lashed afternoon at Cheltenham, The New One received a warming ovation and final lap of honour around the famous paddock as he headed into retirement after being pulled up in the International Hurdle.

The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained 10-year-old, a three-time winner of the race, cut out the early running but faded tamely before being pulled up before the last hurdle in a race won decisively by 7-1 shot Brain Power.

A horse who had been around long enough to become part of furniture in the jumping game, The New One won 20 of his 40 races.

The New One, ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies, was retired after Saturday's International Hurdle

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He ran in four Champion Hurdles and Twiston-Davies always regarded his first attempt in 2014, when he was a fast-finishing third to Jezki after being hampered by a faller, as the one that got away.

Despite being fitted with a visor for the first time, The New One put in a fourth consecutive below par effort and there were emotional scenes after the race including a kiss from jockey Sam Twiston-Davies.

His trainer father said: 'Sam said when push came to shove, he does not have it in him anymore but he is loving life that's the most important thing.

'I am absolutely gutted. Where do I find another one like him? It's a very sad day. I really thought he would come back today but I have no excuses.'

The New One was trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and ridden regularly by his son Sam

Winner Brain Power is the only horse which can live with brilliant stablemate Altior on the gallops, according to trainer Nicky Henderson. Brain Power hadn't run over hurdles since April 2017 and spent last season failing to fulfil his talent novice chasing.

He does not look up to threatening another stablemate, dual champion hurdler Buveur D'Air, but give Henderson more ammunition in the division.

The trainer said: 'He has a stack of ability. I'd be pretty sure we'll be running in the Champion Hurdle now.'

Meanwhile, jockey Bryony Frost won her biggest race since she lost her conditional jockey claim when extracting some outrageous jumps out of Paul Nicholls-trained Frodon to win the feature Caspian Caviar Gold Cup under top weight of 11st 12lb.

Brain power, ridden by Nico de Boinville, on their way to victory in Unibet International Hurdle

The diminutive six-year-old fell short of grade one class last season but will now have another go with the Ascot Chase in February, in which he was third to Waiting Patiently last year, his likely next port of call.

The one bright spot in a fairly miserable 2017-18 season for trainer Rebecca Curtis which yielded only nine wins was the Scottish National victory of Joe Farrell. That gelding is currently sidelined with a knee problem but should be back in time for a shot at the Grand National in April.

But Curtis has another bright hope in Drovers Lane, who made much of the running and survived a stumble three fences from the finish to win the Ryman Novices' Chase by a length and a half under Sean Bowen.

It was a seventh win of the season for Curtis, who will keep Drovers Lane away from the worst of the winter ground before targeting the Festival.

In the week, the BHA published a review which was prompted by equine fatalities at last season's Festival which included 17 recommendations, it will be a relief that there were no casualties at the track's two-day December meeting.

The BHA have signalled that their next priority in the welfare debate is the divisive subject of use of the whip. With the formation of a new Welfare Board in 2019, possibly chaired by a person independent of the sport, will come a fresh examination of whether bans for misuse of the whip should be increased to try to deter rule breaches.